It's Winter Season in Birobidzhan!

Birobidzhan, January 2nd 2014

Within a matter of minutes after taking out my camera, frost covered the surface. I rubbed my eyes as to clear the frost from my view finder better. Something's bothering my sight. Ah... it's much better now. As I let off my hand from my eyes, the sunny sunshine sparkled over my hand glove. Ice frost -- from my eyes.

Nevertheless, for the people in Birobidzhan, that's no reason to refrain from being happy. It's just a matter of how we see things.

Who says frozen snow is not slippery? It is! We cannot change that, but we can make a slide out of it.

It's so slippery that you can slip and fall. Then let's fall by purpose.

Then you know, you are healthy. Yay!

As solid as ice we shall bond together. Yay!

Neither is age a reason to refrain from being happy as a child.

Quick! Hurry, Kid!
When being happy, everyone is a kid, right? Besides, to all moms her kid stays a kid as long as she lives. Right, Mom?

Good job, Kid! Pour them all and hurry back!

With zero clue of the spoken language, I made up for myself how the game worked. It seemed like the two parties had to compete piling as much snow within a given time. Next, the two parties will have to build a snow castle or a statue.... No, that next thing did not happen.

The jury holding a pink microphone blew a whistle, everyone cheered and clapped -- me, too -- and then the winner got a can of Coca Cola. Everyone clapped again. Finished. I wonder whether the can was actually warm?

The man of pink microphone spoke again. Everyone -- me, too -- gathered around him. "Houskvousk rousk vousk? Houskvousk rousk vousk?" Everyone -- but me -- raised their hand up. "Houskvousk rousk vousk!" said Mr. Pink Microphone again.

Everyone with my height and below ran up to the stage. Gangnam Style!

Correct Gangnam Style or not, who cares? We are happy.

Could any of them be a Jew?

The park was filled with various ice sculptures. But I was at the least interested. Hmmm, nothing like the ice sculptures in Sapporo, I said to myself.

I took this picture, because it reminded me of my favorite Winnie the Pooh. At that time I didn't know this was not Winnie, but Bely Mishka, one of the three mascots of Sochi 2014. For this bear, I used my 7D in particular.

Zayka Bunny, you are cute. But, not that cute. So for you, Lumia 920 will do. It's not bad after all. Yeah, this is another Mascot of Sochi 2014.

You still want some more fun, don't you?

Coming along?

Happy Winter!!